This invention pertains to refrigeration systems that include a suction line heat exchanger and an accumulator. Particularly, the invention relates to integrated units having a suction line heat exchanger positioned within a reservoir of a suction line accumulator.
Refrigeration systems for use in automobile cooling and home refrigeration applications are comprised of several components. Generally, such refrigeration systems contain a series of process units including compressors, condensers, evaporators, expansion devices, suction line heat exchangers, and liquid accumulators. In order to conserve space within the cooling and refrigeration systems, reduce costs and reduce the number of fittings required, and to make the systems more compact, several applications have integrated the suction line heat exchanger and liquid accumulator functions of these processes into one unit.
Two examples of an integrated heat exchange unit and accumulators are given in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,467,078 and 2,530,648. In these patents, a coiled tube is wrapped around a straight tube for heat exchange between the two tubes within an accumulator. In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,163,998, heat exchange fins are closely associated with a tube that encircles a length of low pressure tubing that is withdrawing vapor from an accumulator to provide heat exchange advantages. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,298,687, concentric tubing is used within a collection unit. While at least some of these integrated units may perform satisfactorily for their intended purpose, there is always room for improvement.
In one embodiment, an integrated unit is provided for use in a refrigeration system having a refrigerant loop with a high-pressure refrigerant flowing through a portion of the loop to reject heat from the system and a low-pressure refrigerant flowing through another portion of the loop to absorb heat to the system. The integrated unit includes a housing having a collection reservoir for the refrigerant; a low pressure flat tube extending into the collection reservoir to direct the low pressure refrigerant therethrough; and a high pressure flat tube extending into the collection reservoir to direct the high pressure refrigerant therethrough. A broad side of the low pressure flat tube and a broad side of the high pressure flat tube are in close heat exchange relation to each other within the collection reservoir.
In another embodiment, an integrated unit in a refrigeration system includes a housing having a collection reservoir, a low pressure refrigerant inlet port, a low pressure refrigerant outlet port, a high pressure refrigerant inlet port and a high pressure refrigerant outlet port; a low pressure conduit connected in the housing to the low pressure refrigerant outlet port to direct low pressure refrigerant from the collection reservoir to the low pressure refrigerant outlet port; a high pressure conduit extending in the housing from the high pressure refrigerant inlet port to the high pressure refrigerant outlet port; and a plurality of heat exchange fins extending from the high pressure conduit and the low pressure conduit in the collection reservoir. Each fin is in close heat exchange relation with both the high pressure conduit and the low pressure conduit.
In a further embodiment of the integrated unit, the low-pressure conduit and the high-pressure conduit are flat tubes.
In a further embodiment, the low-pressure flat tube and the high-pressure flat tube are in close heat exchange relation to each other.
In yet a further embodiment, the low-pressure flat tube and the high-pressure flat tube have longitudinal axes extending parallel to each other.
In still a further embodiment, the plurality of heat exchange fins extend transversely from both the high-pressure conduit and low pressure conduit in the collection reservoir.
In another embodiment, the integrated unit further includes at least one slot in each fin that receives both tubes. In a further embodiment, each slot is open to an edge of the fin to allow assembly of the fins onto the tubes.
In another embodiment, the integrated unit comprises a housing having a collection reservoir, a low pressure refrigerant inlet port, a low pressure refrigerant outlet port, a high pressure refrigerant inlet port, a high pressure refrigerant outlet port; a low pressure conduit connected in the housing to the low pressure refrigerant outlet port to direct low pressure refrigerant from the collection reservoir to the low pressure refrigerant outlet port; a high pressure conduit extending in the housing from the high pressure refrigerant inlet port to the high pressure refrigerant outlet port; and at least one heat exchange fin extending between a first leg of the high-pressure conduit and a second leg of the high-pressure conduit in the collection reservoir and fin being in conductive heat exchange relation with the high-pressure conduit.
In another embodiment, an integrated unit in a refrigeration system includes a housing having a collection reservoir, a low pressure refrigerant inlet port, a low pressure refrigerant outlet port, a high pressure refrigerant inlet port and a high pressure refrigerant outlet port; a low pressure conduit with an outside surface and a longitudinal axis, the low pressure conduit extending in the collection reservoir and connected to the low pressure refrigerant outlet port to direct low pressure refrigerant from the collection reservoir to the low pressure refrigerant outlet port; and a high pressure conduit with an outside surface and a longitudinal axis, the high pressure conduit extending in the collection reservoir from the high pressure refrigerant inlet port to the high pressure refrigerant outlet port. In the collection reservoir the longitudinal axes extend parallel to one another over a length and the outside surfaces are in close heat exchange relation.
In a further embodiment, the outside surfaces are in direct contact with one another.
In yet a further embodiment, the integrated unit comprising a plurality of heat exchange fins extending transversely from the high pressure conduit and from the low pressure conduit, each fin in close heat exchange relation with both the high pressure conduit and the low pressure conduit.
Another embodiment of the invention is a refrigeration system including a compressor to compress a refrigerant; a heat exchanger to reject heat from the compressed refrigerant; an expansion device to expand the compressed refrigerant; an evaporator to transfer heat to the refrigerant; and an integrated suction line heat exchanger and accumulator. The integrated suction line heat exchanger and accumulator includes a collection reservoir; a low pressure flat tube extending into the collection reservoir to direct the expanded refrigerant therethrough; and a high pressure flat tube extending into the collection reservoir to direct the compressed refrigerant therethrough. A broad side of the low pressure flat tube and a broad side of the high pressure flat tube are in conductive heat exchange relation within the housing.
In another embodiment is a refrigeration system comprising a compressor to compress a refrigerant; a heat exchanger to reject heat from the compressed refrigerant; an expansion device to expand the compressed refrigerant; an evaporator to transfer heat to the refrigerant; and an integrated suction line heat exchanger and accumulator. The integrated suction line heat exchanger and accumulator includes a collection reservoir; a low pressure refrigerant inlet port; a low pressure refrigerant outlet port; a high pressure refrigerant inlet port and a high pressure refrigerant outlet port; a low pressure conduit connected in the housing to the low pressure refrigerant outlet port to direct the expanded refrigerant from the collection reservoir to the low pressure refrigerant outlet port; a high pressure conduit extending in the housing from the high pressure refrigerant inlet port to the high pressure refrigerant outlet port; and a plurality of heat exchange fins extending from the high pressure conduit and the low pressure conduits in the collection reservoir, each fin in conductive heat exchange relation with both the high pressure line and the low pressure line.
In yet another embodiment, a refrigeration system comprises a compressor to compress a refrigerant; a heat exchanger to reject heat from the compressed refrigerant; an expansion device to expand the compressed refrigerant; an evaporator to transfer heat to the refrigerant; and an integrated suction line heat exchanger and accumulator. The integrated suction line heat exchanger and accumulator includes a collection reservoir; a low pressure refrigerant inlet port, a low pressure refrigerant outlet port; a high pressure refrigerant inlet port; a high pressure refrigerant outlet port; a low pressure conduit with an outside surface and a longitudinal axis and connected in the collection reservoir to the low pressure refrigerant outlet port to direct the expanded refrigerant from the collection reservoir to the low pressure refrigerant outlet port; and a high pressure conduit with an outside surface and a longitudinal axis. The high pressure conduit extends in the collection reservoir from the high pressure refrigerant inlet port to the high pressure refrigerant outlet port. In the collection reservoir, the longitudinal axes extend parallel to one another over a length and the outside surfaces are in close heat exchange relation.